chapter 2 portrait of the atmosphere

Question 1

atmosphere

Answer 1

the envelope of gases that surround the earth

Question 2

karman line

Answer 2

one widely accepted definition of the top of the atmosphere

Question 3

two permanent gases in the earths atmosphere

Answer 3

nitrogen and oxygen

Question 4

greenhouse gases

Answer 4

gases that absorb and emit heat energy

Question 5

sink

Answer 5

can be a physical environment or process, how gas leaves the atmosphere

Question 6

sources

Answer 6

can be natural or anthropogenic

Question 7

aerosols

Answer 7

microscopic solid or liquid particles

Question 8

cloud droplets

Answer 8

microscopic drops of liquid water found in clouds, example of an aerosol

Question 9

common aerosols

Answer 9

bacteria, pollen, clouds, volcanic ash, smoke

Question 10

air pressure

Answer 10

the force exerted by molecules of air against a surface

Question 11

layers of the atmosphere (lowest to highest)

Answer 11

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Question 12

troposphere extends up to…

Answer 12

12 km

Question 13

environmental lapse rate

Answer 13

the rate of cooling with increasing altitude in the troposphere 6.5 degrees C per 1 000 m

Question 14

temperature inversion

Answer 14

a layer of the atmosphere in which air temperature increases with increased height

Question 15

the stratosphere is found between ___ and ___. contains

Answer 15

12-50 km

permanent temperature inversion

Question 16

UV radiation

Answer 16

solar radiation that has shorter wavelengths than visible light

Question 17

ozonosphere

Answer 17

a region of the stratosphere with high concentrations of ozone molecules that block UV radiation

Question 18

mesosphere lies between ___ and ___

Answer 18

50-80 km

Question 19

thermosphere located from ___ to ___. above the thermosphere is the

Answer 19

80- 600 km

exosphere

Question 20

ionosphere absorbs?

Answer 20

UV, xray and gamma radiation from the sun

Question 21

the ionosphere extends______ to the heights of ____ to ___.

Answer 21

above and below the thermosphere

60-1000 km

Question 22

air pollutant

Answer 22

a harmful concentration of gases or aerosols in the atmosphere

Question 23

primary vs secondary pollutant

Answer 23

primary: enter the air or water directly from its source
secondary: forms in the air or water through chemical reactions among primary pollutant

Question 24

acid rain

Answer 24

any form of precipitation that has a pH lower than 5, or any dry acidic particles that precipitate

Question 25

acid rain: anthropogenic or natural?

Answer 25

can be naturally occurring from downwind of volcanic eruption. anthropogenic occurs mainly near industrial areas

Question 26

particulate matter

Answer 26

liquid and solid particicles suspended in the atmosphere

Question 27

particulate matter: natural or anthropogenic?

Answer 27

natural examples are: fire smoke, volcanic dust, pollen

anthropogenic: vegetation, animal dung, black carbon soot from burning fossil fuels